Steam radiator



March 21, 1939. B. F. RANDEL 2,150,941

STEAM RADIATOR Filed Jan. 27, 1936 INVENTOR Bo FOLKE RANDEL.

BY We M ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 21, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 4 Claims.

(Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as amended April 30, 1928; 370 O. G. 757) This invention relates to heat radiating systems and it has a particular relation to devices for automatically controlling the temperature thereof.

In a common steam radiator with a conventional trap, or without trap if desired, in which the condensate return is closed, the steam will continue to condense, gradually filling the radiator with water. As the radiator is filled with water, the heat radiating surface in contact with the H, heat medium, steam, is reduced until the radiator is completely filled with liquid. Thus, by closing or throttling the condensate outlet, the heat output of the radiator may be reduced finally to zero. This action of course, is not so rapid as 2.; if the steam inlet valve was closed, but often such rapid action is not desired. If more rapid action is desired, the closing of the condensate discharge pipe may be adjusted so as to anticipate a certain effect at a certain time.

The principal object of the invention is the provision of a device of the character described for automatically controlling the discharge of the condensate from a steam radiator and thusindirectly controlling the supply of steam thereto. -33 Another object of the invention is the provision of a simple and efficient temperature actuated valve mechanism for controlling the flow of a heating medium in accordance with the temperature of the surrounding atmosphere or environno ment.

With these and other objects in view, as well as other advantages that may be incident to the.

use of the improvements, the invention consists in the parts and combinations thereof herein- :1: after set forth and claimed, and with the understanding that the several necessary elements constituting the same may be varied in proportion and arrangement without departing from the nature and scope of the invention, as defined .m in the appended claims.

In order to make the invention more clearly understood, there are shown in the accompanying drawing, means for carrying the invention into practical use, without limiting the improvements 45 in their useful application to the particular construction, which, for the purpose of explanation, have been made the subject of illustration.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view of a tem- 50 perature actuated valve constructed in accord ance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a similar view of another form of the invention;

Fig. 3 is a similar view of still another form 55 of the invention; and

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view on a smaller scale of a heat radiator equipped with the improved temperature actuated valve for controlling the discharge of condensate therefrom.-

Referring to the drawing, and particularly to Fig. 4 thereof, a temperature actuated valve embodying the invention and indicated generally at W is shown as being connected with the steam and condensate discharge pipe ll of a conventional steam radiator I2 of the sectional type and supplied with steam from a pipe l3.

As shown in Fig. 1, the valve In preferably comprises a casting l4 having a valve chamber l5 formed therein communicating through a nipple IS with the condensate discharge pipe H of the radiator l and through a nipple IT with an escape pipe or drain IS. The nipple I! is provided with a seat I9 for engagement by a valve 2|! fixed to the lower end of a valve stem 2|.

The upper end of the valve stem 2| is fixed to the lower surface .of an expansible and contractible bulb 22 which is filled with a suitable volatile liquid and which is responsive to the temperature of the heating medium. A rod 23 is fixed to the upper surface of the bulb 22 and extends vertically through a bellows 24 to which it is fixed and sealed. If desired, 'a packing gland may be substituted for the bellows 24. The bellows 24 sea1s the upper portion of the-chamber l and is clamped between a peripheral flange 25 formed on the casting M and a flange 26 formed on the lower end of a cage -21. This construction permits of the Vertical movement of the valve 26 and at the same time preventing-leakage.

The upper end of the rod 23 is fixed to the lower end of a receptacle 28 adapted to contain a volatile liquid 29 and provided with a plurality of cooling fins 3B. This receptacle communicates at its upper end with a bellows 3| to which it is fixed and sealed as against leakage. receptacle 28 and bellows 3| are both located within the cage 21 where they are in contact with the atmosphere and are responsive to room temperature. The range of movement of the bellows 3| and the parts connected therewith under the influence of fluctuations in room temperature, is controlled by an adjusting screw 32 which is rotatably mounted in the upper end of the cage 2'! for screw threaded engagement with a block 33 fixed to the upper face of the bellows 3| and which is provided with an operating knob 34 at its upper end.

At low room temperatures the bellows 3| will be in a contracted condition due to the shrinkage of the volatile liquid 29, thus holding the valve 20 The,

unseated through the medium of the interconnecting parts. This will permit of an unobstructed circulation of steam through the radia-- tor l I. As the temperature of the room raises,' the bellows 3| will gradually expand until the valve engages its seat l9 and cuts off the circulation of the steam which condenses in the radiator and collects in the lower portion thereof and in the chamber I5. This condensate will gradually accumulate in the radiator with a resulting diminution in the space occupied by the live steam and. the heat radiated by the radiator. Under normal conditions the bulb 22 will permit the escape of the condensate but will expand and close the valve 20 when live steam enters the chamber [5. The action of this bulb is, however,

controlled by the adjustment of the screw 32.

and the temperature of the room.

In Fig. 2 there is illustrated a slightly difierent embodiment of the invention wherein the reser- 'voir 28 and bellows 3| are located at a place remote to the valve chamber [5 and the radiator. In this construction the reservoir 28 communicates with a bellows 35 through a pipe 36. Thebellows 35 has its upper surface fixed to the upper end of the cage 21 and its lower face secured to the upper end of the rod 23. Obviously, any expansion or contraction of the liquid in thereceptacle -28 will be transmitted through the liquid in the pipe 36 and bellows 35 so as to cause a corresponding movement of this bellows and the valve 20 connected therewith. In other respects the operation of this mechanism is similar to that described in connection with Fig. 1.

In Fig. 3 there is illustrated a still further modification of the invention in which the trap bulb 22 is dispensed with. With this: change, the structure is the same as that shown in Fig. 3. It will be understood that the bulb 22 may also be omitted in the structure shown in Fig. 1 if so desired.

Other modifications and changes in the proportions and arrangement of the parts may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the nature and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

I claim:

1. In combination with a steam radiator having inlet and outlet pipes, a valve mechanism located in said outlet pipe and responsive to the temperature of both the atmosphere and the steam in said radiator for controlling the discharge of condensate from the radiator, thus to vary the internal area of the radiator exposed to the heating efiect of the steam.

2. In combination with a steam. radiator having :inlet and outlet pipes, a valve for controlling the @discharge of condensate from the radiator and a bello ws containing a fluid expansible and contractible with changes in the temperature of both the atmosphere and that of the steam in said radiator for controlling said valve, thus to vary the internal area of the radiator exposed to the heating effect of the steam.

3. In combination with a steam radiator having I phere for containing, a volatile fluid, and an expansible chamber connected to and communicating with said receptacle and adapted to: move the same to also actuate said valve member with fluctuations in the volume of the fluid. in said receptacle caused by changes in the temperature of said outer atmosphere, thus to control the volume of condensate in the radiator and the volume of heating medium admitted thereto.

4. In combination with a steam radiator having inlet and outlet pipes, a valve mechanism located in said outlet pipe and comprising a chamber, a valve member in said chamber for controlling the escape of condensate from said radiator, an expansible bulb disposed within said chamber and responsive to the temperature of the condensate therein and in said radiator for actuating said valve member, a movable receptacle connected to said valve member and located exterior to said chamber and in contact with. the outer atmosphere for containing a volatile fluid, and a bellows connected to and communicating with said receptacle and adapted to move the same to also actuate said valve member with fluctuations in the volume of the fiuid in said receptacle caused by changes in the temperature of said outer atmosphere, thus to control the volume of condensate in the radiator and the volume of heating medium admitted thereto.

BO FOLKE RANDEL. 

